Body supporting device



Nov. 6, 1956 Filed march 29, 1955 B. RABINOVITCH ETAL BODY SUPPORTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVETRS BENJAMI RA I A/gVITCH ALBERT Rome/v27 ATTORNEYS,

Nov. 6, 1956 B. RABINOVITCH El'AL BbpY SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed March 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Shget 2 FIG; 8.

FIG. 4.

II a i f I I I I I I FIG. 7.

INVENTO RS BENJA ATTORN EYS.

United States Patent C) BODY SUPPORTING DEVICE Benjamin Rabinovitch, Bronx, and Albert Rothgart, Brooklyn, N. Y.; said Rabinovitch assignor to Henry I. Sobel, Hewlett, N. Y.

Application March 29, 1955, Serial No. 497,526

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-182) This invention relates generally to body rests or supports for the person, and embraces novel methods of making the same.

The particular embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated in the drawings, and which will be described hereinafter in greater detail, comprises generally a relatively rigid, open frame, and a flexible sheet extending tautly between spaced portions of the frame for conformably engaging and supporting the body of a user.

As is well known to those versed in the art, in stretching flexible sheet material over a frame, it was heretofore necessary to employ tacks, rivets or other fastener elements for securing material to the frame. This of course subjected the sheeting, frame and fastener elements to extremely high stresses, frequently causing rupture of the sheet material and loosening or withdrawal of the fastener elements. Further, exposure of the fasteners, as well as puckering of the sheet material by the fasteners, served to mar the appearance and adversely affect the comfort of such articles.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a body rest of the type described which overcomes the above mentioned difliculties, and wherein the flexible sheet is firmly secured in tightly distended condition without the use of fastener elements, to thereby afford a neat and attractive appearance unmarred by exposed fasteners or puckering of the sheet. Further, the sheet is attached to the frame in a selfsecuring manner, whereby increased tension in the sheet, as by the weight of a users person, serves to increase holding action between the sheet and frame.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a more simple and efficient method of making an article having a flexible sheet stretched taut on an open frame, which method considerably reduces manufacturing time and requires less materials than were heretofore necessary, to effect substantial savings in cost. Further, the instant method enables any desired type of flexible sheeting to be stretched tighter and more uniformly on the frame for increased comfort to the user, enhanced appearance and improved wearing qualities.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a body rest having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs, which is extremely simple and sturdy in construction, and light in weight, requiring a minimum of parts, which is safe and durable in use, and can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

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In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing the component parts of the body rest of the present invention, in their disassembled condition;

Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view showing a completely assembled body rest constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating one manner of using the supporting device of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of the supporting device as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the device as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view illustrating another manner of employing the instant supporting device;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view showing still another use of the supporting device;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 99 of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to Fig. 2 thereof, the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein comprises an open frame 15 of generally polygonal or rectangular configuration, a

' flexible supporting sheet 16 of reticulated or otherwise pervious material, preferably plastic fibres in open-weave form, and stretched across the frame, and brace mem-' bers 17 and 18 pivotally connected to opposite sides of the frame.

The frame 15 is formed of a pair of generally U-shaped members 20, 21), see Fig. 1, which are preferably identical in construction and may be fabricated of suitable tubular stock. Each frame member 20 includes a pair of parallel spaced side arms or legs 21, 21 disposed in the same plane, and a cross arm or bight portion 22 disposed in a plane spaced from the plane of the legs, and connected between an adjacent pair of leg ends. More specifically, the connected ends of the legs 21, 21

are bent to form a pair of oppositely, outwardly extend ing loops 23, 23 disposed in a single plane at right angles to the plane of the legs. The cross arm or bight portion 22 extends between the loops 23, and is spaced from the plane of the legs by the loops, As the illustrated frame members 20, 20 are identical, the above description applies equally to both.

Also shown in Fig. 1 are a pair of tubular couplings or sleeves 25, 25, a roll of the sheet material 16, a pair of adhesive strips or tapes 26, 26, a plurality of fasteners or screws 27, and the braces 17 and 18.

In assembling the supporting device, the opposite end edge portions 28 of the sheet 16 are adhesively secured to the bight portions 22, respectively, of the pair of frame members 20. As seen in Fig. 9, one of the adhesive tapes 26 is applied to one end edge portion 28 of the sheet 16, and also applied to the bight portion 22 of one frame member. The other end edge portion of the sheet 16 is similarly secured to the bight portion of the other frame member, and the frame members are rotated to wind or coil the sheet end portions about the bight portions of the frame members. If desired, one or more fasteners 27 may be inserted transversely through each of the coiled sheet end portions and into the associated frame member bight portion. However, such fastener elements have not been found necessary under normal conditions of use.

The sheet end portions are wound about their respective frame member bight portions through a few turns to leave a predetermined length of the sheeting 16 beently.

The brace member 17 is preferablyl fabricated of light metal tubing or other suitable material and bent into the configuration of a U, including a bight'portion 30,- and legs 31, 31 converging toward their free ends.

Formed in one side of the brace member bight portion 30, medially thereof, is an aperture or hole .32, while the 7, free endsof the brace member legs 31, 31 are preferably flattened and apertured to form a pair of registering eyes 33,, 33..

' The brace memberlfi is'also preferably fabricated of tubular or othersuitable material, having at least some resilience and bent into a generally U-shaped configuration, including a bight portion 35 and legs 36, 36 converging toward their free ends. Asaappears in the drawings, the brace member 18 is of considerably larger size than brace member 17. Provided on the inner side of V the brace member bight portion 35, centrally thereof, is

a headed stud or lug 37; and, the free ends of the brace member legs 36,. 36 are flattened and apertured to define regi teri g eyes. 33, 38.

Afterthe opposite end portions of the sheet 16 have been wound about the bight portions 22 of the frame members 20, the brace member eyes 33,33, with one of the sleeves 25 interposed therebetween and in aline- ,ment therewith, are engaged over one of the frame mem- QI fig 2 .1 slida y I iYe the latter. The. brace member'eyes 38, 3 8, with the other sleeve 25 interposed therebetween and in alinemeut therewith, are similarly arranged to slidably receive another of the frame memher legs 21. Stated otherwise, a leg .21 of one frame mfitn r i n ert d succ s iv ly thro gh n y 33, one sleeve 25, and the other eye 33, while another frame member leg. 21, preferably of the same frame member, is inserted successively through one eye 38, the remaint s ;.5 an e other eye 3 The frame membersgtl, 2t) are now drawn forcibly apart, with their legs 21 disposed in respective end to end alined relation (the frame member relation illustrated in o igh ly s re ch a d distend ep ous sheet 16 With the frame members held in'this v facing, spaced apart relation, the coupling sleeves 25, 25

are each slid so as to receive the free end portions of 7 one alined pair of frame member legs 21, see Fig. 8, Q and crimped or dimpled, as at 40, to fix each sleeve with respect to its received leg ends. In this manner the legs 21 are fixed in their alined relation, and the frame membefbight portions 22 are held apart with the sheet 16 stretched tautly between the bight portions, Further, the brace member eyes 33;, 33 are rotatablyengaged about one pair of' alined frame rnember'legs 21,,and resiliently spread apart by one of the coupling sleeves 25, so that the brace member 17 is mounted at one end for rotation about one pair of alined frame member legs 7 toward and away from the distended sheet 16. The

brace member 18 similarly has its eyes 33, 33 rotatably engaged about the other pair of alined frame member legs astride the other coupling sleeve 25, and is thereby connected at one end to the other pair of alined frame member legs for rotation about the latter toward and away from the distended sheet 16. The brace member 18 similarly has its eyes 318, 38 rotatably engaged about the other pair of alined frame. member legs, astride the other coupling sleeve 25, and is thereby connected at one end to the other pair of alined frame member legs for rotation about the latter toward and away from the distended sheet 16, i

It will now be understood that the frame members 20, 20 and the coupling sleeves 25, 25 combine to define the generally polygonal or rectangular, open frame 15, wherein the frame member bight portions 22,22 define one pair of opposed frame sides, while the alined pairs of legs 21 and coupling sleeves 25 define another'pair of opposed frame sides. Further, it will also be noted that the frame sides defined by the afined pairs of legs 21 are disposed, in a plane parallel to and spaced from sides for rotation thereabout toward and away from said sheet, and a second brace member of shorter length than,

the plane of the remaining framesides, namely those defined by the bight portions 22, and that: the distended;

sheet 16 is disposed in the plane of the last mentioned frame sides. 7

While the fasteners 27 may be employed if desired, it'will be noted that distension of the sheet 16 serves to tighten the coiled sheetend portions and increase the Z holding effect of the adhesive "strips and the frictional holding action between adjacent convolutions.

A e n n the ce m mber 7 and-15f are swingable relative to the frame 15 so that the lug 37 engages in the aperture 32, and releasably retains the. brace members in'an angular disposition with respect to each other, and with respect to the sheet 16; Due to the different lengths of the bracej members 17 and 18,

conjunction with a conventional article of furniture, such.

as the chair or automobile seat '41, shown in dot-anddash' outline in Fig. 7. That is, when both of the brace 'members 17 and 18 are retracted or swung toward the sheet 16, the device may be employed as a ventilating back rest with the frame sides defined by the alined pairs of frame member legs 21 serving to maintain the sheet 16 in spaced relation with respect to'the chair or automobile seat back and permit the flow of air behind the body rest and through the'reticulated sheet 16 to' the body 'of the user. 7 7,

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a highly improved body-supporting device and V 7 method of making the same, which fully accomplish their. 1 intended objects, and which are well adapted to'meet practical conditions of manufacture and use Although the present invention haslbeen describedin some detail by way of illustration and example'for purposes of clarity'of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A body-supporting device comprising a generally.

polygonal open frame having one pair of opposed frame sides disposed in a plane spaced from the plane of the re-- maining frame sides, and a pervious flexible sheet extending tautly between an opposed pair of said remaining frame sides in .the plane of the latter, whereby said frame is adapted to rest with said first named pair of frame sides against an appropriate surface and said sheet spacedv from said surface to support the person of a userspaced f from said surface, a first brace member havingone end'y connected to one frame side of said first pair of framesaid first brace member and having one end connected'to the other frame side of said first named pair for rotation thereabout toward and away from said sheet, and releas able interengaging means on the other ends of said first and second brace members for connecting the latter together in angular relation with respect to each other and said sheet, said device thus being adapted for selective dis-' position with one ofsaid brace members adjacent to a supporting surface tornaintain said sheet at a desired 7 angle with respect to said supporting surface.

2. A body supporting device according toflclaim 1, wherein said sheet has its opposite end portions tightly wound about said second named-opposed pair of frame sides for secure attachment to the latter.

3. A body supporting device according to claim 1, said I frame comprising a pair of generally U-shaped members arranged in facing relation with the legs of one member in end to end longitudinal alinement respectively with the leg of the other member, and means for fixedly securing together each pair of longitudinally alined legs, each pair of longitudinally alined legs and its associated securing means combining to define one of said first named pair of opposed frame sides, and the bight portions of said U-shaped members defining the second named pair of opposed frame sides.

fixedly secured to the adjacent ends legs.

of the associated References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Laughlin Aug. 30, 1955 

